Annoyed by a junk car on your neighbor’s lawn or an ugly patch of weeds? Well, Salt Lake City residents now have an easier way to report those problems. As KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, the Salt Lake City 311 app is expected to make communication between residents and city government easier and reduce response times.
Utah falls behind the rest of the nation in the amount of money and resources it directs toward public defenders, according to a report released by the ACLU of Utah Wednesday. Executive Director Karen McCreary says the most startling evidence is the disparity between the budgets for public defenders appointed by counties and the budgets of county prosecutors. She says Utah and Pennsylvania are the only states that don’t provide oversight or funding for indigent defense.
TRAX riders making daily commutes into downtown Salt Lake City and the University of Utah have mixed feelings about the route changes the Utah Transit Authority implemented two weeks ago. As KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, some say the changes make more sense for their commute, while others say it makes theirs more difficult and time consuming.
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill says he won’t file criminal charges against the Salt Lake City police officer accused of an unjustified shooting in May. Gill sent a letter to Police Chief Chris Burbank today saying a review of the investigation determined there was cause to believe that Officer Mathew Giles’ actions violated the law, but there wasn’t enough evidence to support a criminal case.
In an unexpected move Monday, the Utah Legislature’s Redistricting Committee chose a citizen map for new state school board boundaries. As KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, a software designer from Logan had the golden ticket, when several maps drawn by lawmakers and school board members did not make the cut.
After a heartbreaking incident of vandalism, the Jean Massieu School of the Deaf near Salt Lake City kicked off the new school year by opening up its new playground to students this morning. As KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, the school spent two years raising money for the project and finally, with help from the community and a state lawmaker, the children now have a place to play.
An inventory conducted this past winter shows Salt Lake City parks could use millions of dollars worth of updates to infrastructure. Parks and Public Lands Director Emy Maloutas says it’s needed for things like restrooms and ball fields, many of which she says are outdated. But she says most of the parks are up to standard, and there aren’t any concerns related to public or environmental safety.
Utah’s legislative redistricting committee took another look at citizen maps today at the State Capitol. Residents continue to urge the committee to keep communities of interest intact, while lawmakers say that’s harder than it looks. As KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, the committee heard from several communities, including the Navajo Nation.
Salt Lake City’s new natural gas-powered garbage trucks were unveiled today as part of an ongoing effort program to “green” the city’s fleet of service vehicles. As KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, the new trucks will replace the city’s diesel-powered sanitation trucks, which the city says will be a cheaper, quieter, and cleaner alternative.
Governor Gary Herbert has demanded and received the immediate resignation of the Executive Director of Utah’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Dennis Kellen already intended to step down soon, following criticism from state lawmakers over allegations of mismanagement. But now the governor says after being notified this week of potential violations of state procurement law and his ethics policy, he has lost confidence in DABC leadership. Herbert’s spokeswoman, Ally Isom, says the administration had planned to give Kellen more time while the remaining DABC commission seat was filled.
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